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Sunday, June 28, 2015

WHEN WHAT WE DEPEND ON FAILS

IN MY 7 DECADES ON THIS PLANET, SO MUCH HAS CHANGED I AM OFTEN LEFT WONDERING IF THIS IS THE SAME WORLD INTO WHICH I WAS BORN.

THE FIRST TELEVISION I EVER SAW WAS A SMALL ROUND-SCREENED CONTRAPTION LESS THAN 9 INCHES IN DIAMETER.

IT LOOKED MUCH LIKE THIS:

[YEARS LATER (1956), WHEN THE FIRST COLOR TV PROGRAM AIRED, A 'BONANZA' EPISODE, THE NBC PEACOCK WAS SUDDENLY IN LIVING COLOR.
IT LEFT US BREATHLESS WITH WONDERMENT.]

HARDLY ANYONE HAD ELECTRICITY OR EVEN INDOOR PLUMBING IN THOSE DAYS, NOT IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE APPALACHIANS.

WAGONS AND HORSES (ACTUALLY, MULES, AS THEY WERE SMARTER, MY GRANDFATHER SAID) WERE STILL THE PREFERRED MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.
PEOPLE WALKED...A LOT, AND FAR.

THE NEAREST GROCER WAS A 22-MILE TRIP, ONE WAY.
BUT THERE WERE "ROLLING STORES" WHICH PLIED THEIR WARES ALONG THE DUSTY DIRT ROADS THAT WOUND THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS...ONCE A MONTH AT FIRST, THEN, AS ROADS WERE IMPROVED, ONCE A WEEK.
THEY LOOKED LIKE THIS:

THEY CARRIED THINGS LIKE TOOLS, SEWING GOODS, POTS AND PANS, STAPLE GOODS, TOBACCO, VERY BASIC CLOTHING ITEMS, THE SEASONAL PRODUCE, EGGS AND EVEN LIVE CHICKENS.

NOT A LOT OF MONEY CHANGED HANDS WHEN THE ROLLING STORE CAME AROUND.
YOU SEE, PEOPLE OPERATED ALMOST ENTIRELY ON A BARTER SYSTEM IN THAT AREA OF THE WORLD.
PEOPLE WITH EXTRA ANYTHING TRADED THAT FOR WHATEVER SOMEONE ELSE HAD.

ABOUT THE ONLY REASON PEOPLE WENT TO TOWN WAS FOR THINGS LIKE COFFEE, SUGAR, 'DRY GOODS', MEDICINES, OR CANNING SUPPLIES.

[WELL, THERE WAS ALSO THE EVER-PRESENT 'SEARS CATALOG' ONE COULD ORDER FROM AND WAIT WEEKS FOR DELIVERY.]

THE SAME BARTERING APPLIED TO SERVICES.
A MAN WITH A TEAM OF MULES MIGHT PLOW YOUR FIELD OR HAUL OFF FELLED TREES TO THE SAWMILL IN EXCHANGE FOR A FEW CURED HAMS, OR SOME BLACKSMITHING WORK, OR HANDMADE TOOLS.

THOSE WHO RAN MILLS WOULD GRIND YOU SOME CORNMEAL OR FLOUR FOR SOME OF YOUR GARDEN PRODUCE, A FEW CHICKENS, OR WHATEVER ELSE SEEMED FAIR.

FAIR.
EVERYONE BELIEVED IN 'FAIR' BACK THEN, OR SO IT SEEMS FROM HERE IN THE "FUTURE".
A MAN'S WORD WAS GOOD ENOUGH, SO FEW WRITTEN CONTRACTS EXISTED, AND EVEN A SMALL BANK LOAN COULD BE OBTAINED BY JUST SHAKING HANDS.

THOSE WHO FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THEIR WORD WERE OSTRACIZED, "RUN OFF", OR IN SOME PHYSICAL WAY 'PERSUADED' NOT TO LIE OR GO BACK ON THEIR WORD EVER AGAIN.

EACH COMMUNITY "TOOK CARE OF ITS OWN".
THOSE IN NEED WERE HELPED.
THOSE WHO WERE SICK WERE ATTENDED TO.
PEOPLE WERE VERY MINDFUL OF ONE ANOTHER, VIGILANT, THERE WHEN YOU NEEDED THEM.

WHEN PLANTING OR HARVEST SEASONS CAME, EVERYONE PITCHED IN TOGETHER TO GET THE JOB DONE.
SCHOOLS WERE DISMISSED SO THE CHILDREN COULD GO HELP OUT ON THE FARMS.

THERE WERE 'ICE CREAM SUPPERS' WHERE MANY WOULD BRING HAND-CRANKED ICE CREAM MAKERS , EVERYONE CHIPPED IN TO BUY ICE, AND THEN WE OFTEN WISHED WE HADN'T TRIED EVERY FLAVOR THAT WAS CREATED THAT DAY.
THE SAME TYPE GATHERING WOULD ALSO SOMETIMES FEATURE WATERMELONS, PANCAKES, OR FRIED CHICKEN.
PEOPLE LIKED TO COME TOGETHER TO EAT, SEEMED LIKE.

THERE WERE ALSO BARN-RAISINGS, HOUSE-RAISINGS, CORN-SHUCKING, BEAN-SHELLING AND QUILTING 'PARTIES'.

THE FRONT PORCHES OF RURAL AMERICA IN THOSE TIMES WERE PLACES WHERE POLITICS, NEWS, AND COMMUNITY NEEDS WERE ADDRESSED LONG INTO THE NIGHT...LONG BEING 8:00PM OR SO.
FOLKS WERE UP BY SUNRISE AND USUALLY "WENT TO BED WITH THE CHICKENS".

THOSE PORCHES WERE ALSO THE PLACE TO HEAR THE "OLD STORIES", TALES OF BYGONE DAYS, WHERE ONE LEARNED ABOUT ONE'S ANCESTORS, ABOUT WHAT WAS IMPORTANT WITHIN THE FAMILY UNIT AND WHY.

WHITTLING, SLINGSHOT-MAKING, FLINTKNAPPING, HOW TO SHARPEN POCKET KNIVES WERE JUST A FEW LESSONS LEARNED ON FRONT PORCHES.
IT WAS ALSO THE PLACE TO GET A HAIRCUT.

WOMEN MIGHT BE SEEN DOING THE "CHURNING" OUT ON THOSE PORCHES WHILE VISITING WITH NEIGHBORS OR INSTRUCTING YOUNG GIRLS ON THE FINE ART OF "PICKING PECANS" (SO NOT ONE SLIVER OF SHELL WOUND UP IN THE PECAN "MEATS").

CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS SIX WERE OFTEN SENT TO "BRING HOME SOME GAME", RABBITS, SQUIRRELS, QUAIL, WHATEVER POPPED UP.
THERE WERE NO "HUNTING SEASONS" BACK THEN THAT WE WERE AWARE OF AND NO ONE NEEDED A "LICENSE" TO GO OUT AND BAG A DEER, BUT EVERYONE RESPECTED THE BREEDING SEASONS OF ALL THE "CRITTERS", KNEW WHEN THEY WERE BUSY REARING YOUNG, AND WOE BE TO THE CHILD WHO SHOT INTO A SQUIRREL'S NEST OR SHOT A SONGBIRD...OR ANYTHING ELSE THEY DID NOT INTEND TO EAT!
KIDS ALSO WENT FISHING, BERRY-PICKING, FORAGED FOR "WILD" APPLES, PLUMS, CHERRIES, PEARS, THE "POKE SALAD" PLANTS, DANDELIONS, DUG ROOTS OF CHICORY AND QUEEN ANNE'S LACE, FOUND MUSHROOMS...EVERY MORSEL COUNTED.
EACH YEAR'S GARDEN HAD TO SUPPLY AT LEAST 9 MONTHS OF FOOD.
HOME CANNING, FERMENTATION, AND DRYING WERE THE ONLY METHODS OF VEGETABLE AND FRUIT PRESERVATION.
MEATS WERE HUNG IN SMOKEHOUSES AND 'CURED', OR DRIED IN STRIPS.

IN AN 'OFF YEAR', PERHAPS DURING A LONG DRY SPELL, OR WHEN HAIL STORMS BLEW THROUGH AND RUINED CROPS, OR MAYBE CEASELESS RAINS DELAYED PLANTING, TIMES COULD GET "ROUGH", BUT NEIGHBORS HELPED NEIGHBORS AND THE COMMUNITY WAS LIKE A SINGLE UNIT, ALL CONSCIOUS OF THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.

THERE WAS EVEN A REMEDY FOR THOSE RARE FEW WHO LET PRIDE STAND IN THE WAY OF ASKING FOR HELP, OR TAKING FROM OTHERS.
WE CALLED IT "POUNDING".
USUALLY, CHILDREN WERE GIVEN THE TASK OF TAKING A POUND OF JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT COULD BE WRAPPED IN A BUNDLE AND QUIETLY PLACING THE PARCEL AT THE DOOR OF WHOMEVER WAS BEING "POUNDED".
THE CHILD WOULD THEN HIDE WHEREVER HE/SHE COULD AND TOSS A SMALL STONE AT THE DOOR, OR A PINECONE, WHATEVER, AND SEE TO IT THAT THE PARCEL WAS RETRIEVED.
ONCE THE RECIPIENT WAS BACK INSIDE, THE CHILD WOULD RUN HOME.
USUALLY, SEVERAL WOULD MAKE A BASKET FULL OF "POUNDS", ALL OF WHICH WERE MORE CONVENIENTLY (AND MORE SAFELY) LEFT AT ONE TIME.
AFTER ALL, EVERY HOME WAS WELL-ARMED BACK THEN.
NO ONE WAS EVER HURT WHILE DOING THIS, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, BUT I THINK EVERYONE RECOGNIZED THE POSSIBILITY.

WOMEN MADE TALLOW CANDLES AND THERE WERE KEROSENE LANTERNS FOR LIGHTING.
COOKING AND HEATING DEPENDED ON WOOD-BURNING STOVES,

EVERYONE USED HOMEMADE LYE SOAP FOR CLEANING EVERYTHING AND FOR BATHING.
A HUGE WASH POT AND SCRUB BOARD TOOK CARE OF LAUNDRY DAY NICELY, BUT THE WRINGER TYPE WASHING MACHINES WERE EVERY WOMAN'S DREAM.
CLOTHESLINES STRETCHED BEHIND ALL HOUSES, AND FAR, FAR OUT BACK WERE THOSE INFAMOUS 'OUTHOUSES'.

WHY BRING ALL THIS UP?
IT SOUNDS LIKE MERELY A "SENIOR CITIZEN'S REMINISCING".
IN NO WAY AM I SUGGESTING THOSE WERE "THE GOOD OLD DAYS" FOR THEY WERE SOME VERY TRYING TIMES.NOTHING CAME EASILY.

BUT, YOU SEE, BACK THEN, THE THINGS WE DEPENDED ON DAILY WERE SIMPLE AND READILY OBTAINED.
WHAT ONE DIDN'T 'RAISE', WHAT ONE COULDN'T BARTER FOR OR COULD NOT AFFORD TO BUY OUTRIGHT, ONE DID WITHOUT.
ODDLY, I ALMOST NEVER HEARD ANYONE COMPLAIN ABOUT NOT HAVING "STORE-BOUGHT" CLOTHES, TOYS, FURNITURE OR ANYTHING ELSE.

THERE WAS NO AIR CONDITIONING, NO CENTRAL HEAT.
WINTERS WERE BITTER, SUMMERS WERE OFTEN OPPRESSIVELY HOT.

BY THE TIME I WAS SEVEN, WE HAD MOVED AWAY FROM ALL THAT AND INTO THE "MODERN AGE", BUT I GOT TO GO BACK FOR SUMMER VACATIONS, AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY GOT TOGETHER ON HOLIDAYS.

STILL, LIFE WAS NEVER AGAIN AS SIMPLE.
AND TODAY, AS I LOOK ABOUT ME, I FIND NOTHING I CAN TRULY COUNT ON.
THE THINGS WE DEPEND ON IN OUR 21st CENTURY WORLD ARE NOT DEPENDABLE.

A HEAVY STORM BARS INTERNET ACCESS AS ONLY SATELLITE INTERNET IS AVAILABLE HERE IN THE "STICKS".
AN ELECTRICAL STORM WILL ALMOST INVARIABLY ROB US OF ELECTRICITY FOR AT LEAST HOURS, AND AN ICE STORM SEES US SANS POWER FOR DAYS.
NO WAY TO RECHARGE CELL PHONES, NO WAY TO HAVE ENOUGH LIGHT TO READ BY, UNLESS ONE HAS GOOD LANTERNS, AND THERE GOES THE REFRIGERATOR, WASHER AND DRYER AND THE WELL PUMP.

PROPANE YIELDS HEAT AND A WAY TO COOK, BUT OH, THE CONVENIENCE OF ELECTRICITY!
THEN, BAM!, ELECTRICITY FAILS.

COMMUNICATION DEVICES FAIL.
INTERNET FAILS.

NOTHING, NOT EVEN BATTERIES, SEEM TO LAST FOR LONG ANYMORE.
WE HAVE A USE-IT-ONCE-AND-TOSS-IT SOCIETY.
WE EXPECT THINGS TO WEAR OUT QUICKLY.

WHEN I MADE MY LAST MOVE, AWAY FROM THE BLUE RIDGE OF NORTH CAROLINA, I GAVE AWAY A HUGE OLD 32" SCREEN COLOR TV THAT WAS MADE IN 1984. I SAY HUGE BECAUSE THE HOUSING IT SET IN WEIGHED A TON AND IT TOOK UP ABOUT 20 SQUARE FEET OF FLOOR SPACE.
IT WORKED AS PERFECTLY IN 2014 AS IT DID RIGHT OUT OF THE FACTORY, GREAT COLORS, CRYSTAL CLEAR.
I HAVE THREE VERY OLD RADIOS, ALL FROM THE LATE 1940s TO EARLY 1950s, AND ALL WORK LIKE A CHARM.

FROM CUTLERY TO TOOLS TO HUNTING, CAMPING AND FISHING GEAR, MUCH OF WHAT I HAVE WAS BUILT TO LAST, AND IT HAS, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO.

THE THINGS I HAVE THAT WERE CREATED AFTER ABOUT 1970 NEVER LAST LONG.
I HAVE LEARNED NOT TO DEPEND ON ANYTHING THAT ONE CAN BUY NEW TODAY.
IT SEEMS THAT THE MORE WE PAY FOR SOMETHING, THE LESS DEPENDABLE IT IS!

THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR HOUSING.

NEIGHBORHOODS.
HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW ALL YOUR NEIGHBORS, EVEN ALL WHO LIVE ON YOUR STREET, OR EVEN ON YOUR SIDE OF THE STREET?
COULD YOU DEPEND ON THEM IN AN EMERGENCY?
COULD THEY DEPEND ON YOU?

WOULD YOU KNOW IF ONE OF THEM WAS ILL, OR EVEN HAD PASSED AWAY?

ALMOST ALL THAT WE CURRENTLY DEPEND ON HAS FAILED...

OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM, OUR ECONOMY, OUR NATIONAL HONOR AND SENSE OF PRIDE IN OUR COUNTRY, THAT "MADE IN AMERICA" LABEL, HOW WE SEE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, OUR MILITARY, OUR LESSENING CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS, FROM FAMILY MEMBERS TO NEIGHBORS TO THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY, SEEM TO HAVE ALL SUFFERED TERRIBLE FAILURES.

I CAN EVEN LOOK ABOUT AND SEE THOSE WHO ONCE SAID THEY DEPENDED ON GOD OR SOME OTHER DEITY NOT DOING SO ANY LONGER.
[IN THAT CASE, I HAVE TO IMAGINE THEIR OWN FAITH FAILED.]

WHAT THAT WE HAVE COME TO RELY ON HASN'T FAILED US ?
WAS IT THE COMPLEXITY OF THE MATERIAL THINGS WE USE, OR THE SHODDINESS OF THEIR CONSTRUCTION THAT INITIATED SUCH WIDE-REACHING AND EXPANDING FAILURES IN THOSE?

WAS IT OUR INABILITY OR UNWILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE TRADITIONS AND HOLD ONTO OUR IDEOLOGIES, OUR BELIEF SYSTEMS, OUR DESIRE/DEMAND THAT THINGS BE FAIR, DEPENDABLE, JUST, HONORABLE, GOOD FOR ALL THAT CAUSED OUR SOCIETY TO FAIL?

WAS IT OUR UNWILLINGNESS TO BUY ONLY WHAT WE CAN AFFORD THAT CREATED THIS ECONOMIC MESS WE SEE?

WHAT HAPPENED?
AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN SO QUICKLY?

IT SEEMS ONLY YESTERDAY THAT AMERICA WAS "THE GREATEST NATION ON EARTH" IN JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY'S OPINION.
TODAY, MOST NATIONS LITERALLY DESPISE AMERICA.
AND SOME OF US CAN SEE WHY THEY DO!

THINGS HAVE GONE STEADILY DOWNHILL!

EVEN INTO THE 1960s, ANY HIGH SCHOOL KID WITH AN AFTER-SCHOOL PART-TIME JOB COULD AFFORD A CAR.
TODAY, JOBS HAVE MOVED OVERSEAS AND A CAR TODAY COSTS FAR MORE THAN A REALLY NICE HOME DID IN 1965.
NOR ARE TODAY'S AMERICAN-MADE VEHICLES BUILT TO LAST.
OTHER NATIONS BUY VEHICLES THAT ARE MORE DEPENDABLE THAN OURS, NOT "MADE IN AMERICA".

ABOUT THAT BUSINESS OF MOVING JOBS "OFFSHORE"...
LOOK HOW NAFTA AND EVERY OTHER "TRADE AGREEMENT" HAS FAILED AMERICAN WORKERS!NAFTA VIRTUALLY THREW AMERICAN JOBS AWAY!

THIS LATEST TRADE DEAL SCHEME THAT THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WANTS CONGRESS TO AGREE TO, AS CONGRESS HAS AGREED TO ALL THE OTHERS, BY THE WAY, WILL BE ANOTHER NIGHTMARE FOR THE AMERICAN WORKING CLASS.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT EVERY MOVE MADE UP ON CAPITOL HILL IS MADE TO DRIVE ANOTHER NAIL IN AMERICA'S COFFIN, TO GIVE BIG CORPORATIONS IMPETUS TO SCREW-OVER AMERICAN WORKERS, PROVIDE ALL OF US WITH POORLY MADE, UNDEPENDABLE, SHORT-LIVED GOODS AT HIGHER AND HIGHER PRICES (THOUGH THEY'RE PAYING SLAVE WAGES OVERSEAS AND RAKING IN MEGA-PROFITS!), AND TAX THE SUPREME HELL OUT OF ALL OF US TO PAY FOR THE FAILURE OF THE PATHETIC ECONOMY THAT CONGRESS ITSELF HAS CREATED, AND ALLOWED THE FEDERAL RESERVE TO DICTATE.

WHEN ALL THAT WE ONCE DEPENDED UPON HAS FAILED, AND IT HAS, NOW WHAT?

WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

WHAT DO WE DO WITH FAILURES IN GOVERNMENT, FAILURES IN BUSINESS TO KEEP JOBS HERE IN AMERICA AND PAY A DECENT WAGE, FAILURES IN SHODDY GOODS AND SERVICES, FAILURES IN OUR MEDICAL PROFESSION WHICH IS SO INTERCONNECTED TO PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES THAT WE DARE NOT EVER REALLY TRUST THEM, FAILURES IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM ('LITTLE JOHNNY' STILL CAN'T READ...OR BALANCE A CHECKBOOK!), OUR MORAL AND ETHICAL FABRIC, OUR GLOBAL STANDING?

IT ISN'T "ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL" HERE IN AMERICA ANYMORE.
IT'S "I'M GETTING MINE ANY WAY I CAN AND SCREW EVERYBODY ELSE!"

THERE'S NO MORE "E PLURIBUS UNUM"...ONLY FRAGMENTS OF A BROKEN REPUBLIC.

WHEN WHAT WE ONCE DEPENDED UPON AS THE CORE, THE VERY HEART OF OUR AMERICAN SOCIETY, HAS FAILED, SEEMS TO ME THAT ALL WE CAN HOPE TO DEPEND ON IS MAYBE ONE ANOTHER.
[I INTENTIONALLY LEAVE OUT ANY RELIGIOUS DISCUSSION IN ALL THIS,]

WELL, IF THE CIVIL WAR CONTINUES, ONE "CLASS" AGAINST ANOTHER, ONE RACE AGAINST ANOTHER, ONE 'PARTY' AGAINST ANOTHER, ETC, I RECKON WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE...SEE HOW LONG IT TAKES US TO SINK, BASICALLY.

MAYBE WE SHOULD LEARN TO "NEED" LESS?

MAYBE WE COULD RE-LEARN HOW TO BE INDEPENDENT COMMUNITIES AGAIN?

MAYBE WE COULD SOMEHOW SEE OUR WAY CLEAR TO TRUST ONE ANOTHER JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT BROKEN TRUST WOULD BE A HUGE NO-NO?

IT'S HORRIFIC TO THINK, " WHAT IF THE GRID GOES DOWN, WHAT IF SOME CRAZY HITS US WITH AN EMP OR A NUKE, OR DUSTS OUR CITIES OR WATER SUPPLIES WITH DEADLY PATHOGENS, OR WHAT IF THE DOLLAR FAILS COMPLETELY, CHINA CALLS IN ALL HER TICKETS, THE PREZ DECLARES MARTIAL LAW...."
YEAH, IT'S A LONG LIST OF "WHAT-IFS" BUT I TOLD YOU THAT WHEN I DID THE BLOGS ON "WHAT IF ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE".

I JUST HOPE EACH ONE IS AS PREPARED AS ANYONE CAN BE.
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THINGS A BIT MORE CAREFULLY, MAYBE?
PLAN AHEAD?
WOULD THAT HELP?

AS I SAY PERHAPS FAR TOO OFTEN, BUT MAINLY REPEAT AS A REMINDER TO MYSELF...

IN THIS LIFE, WE EITHER LEARN OR WE PERISH.
MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK INTO LEARNING MORE?

PERISH DOESN'T LOOK VERY INVITING FROM HERE.

WHEN ALL WE DEPEND ON FAILS, AND THERE'S JUST THAT PERSON IN THE MIRROR, HOW DEPENDABLE IS THAT PERSON?